Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers pay in Washington

$71,710avg. a year
$34.48 an hour · 3,490 employed

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in Washington earn an average of $71,710 a year. That is $3,680 (5%) more than the U.S. average of $68,030. The best-paying metro area is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $76,290.

$70,460Median pay
$34.48Average hourly
+28%Avg. pay since 2020
#12Of 50 states + D.C.

Top-paying Washington metro areas

Average pay for mental health and substance abuse social workers by metro area. Swipe to see all 11.

11,840 jobs
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
$76,290
$36.68 an hour
21,170 jobs
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
$73,730
$35.45 an hour
3430 jobs
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
$70,860
$34.07 an hour
490 jobs
Bellingham, WA
$68,720
$33.04 an hour
580 jobs
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA
$68,610
$32.98 an hour
660 jobs
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA
$66,940
$32.19 an hour
750 jobs
Lewiston, ID-WA
$66,700
$32.07 an hour
8210 jobs
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
$65,430
$31.46 an hour
9100 jobs
Kennewick-Richland, WA
$62,750
$30.17 an hour
10130 jobs
Yakima, WA
$59,450
$28.58 an hour
1170 jobs
Longview-Kelso, WA
$58,060
$27.91 an hour

Why people trust JobPayFacts

Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
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Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers pay in Washington, charted

Pay over time

Washington, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian

Where Washington mental health and substance abuse social workers work

Employment by metro area, May 2025

Average pay by state

May 2025 · Washington highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $53k$53k–$62k$62k–$71k$71k+Washington

Washington vs. neighbors

Average pay, May 2025
AreaAvg. payHourly
United States$68,030$32.71
Washington$71,710$34.48
Oregon$73,050$35.12
Idaho$60,720$29.19

Questions and answers

How much do mental health and substance abuse social workers make in Washington?

The average is $71,710 a year, and the median is $70,460. That is $3,680 (5%) more than the U.S. average of $68,030.

What is the hourly wage in Washington?

$34.48 an hour on average; the median is $33.88.

Where in Washington do they earn the most?

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($76,290), followed by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($73,730). The lowest average among 11 metro areas with data is Longview-Kelso, WA ($58,060).

How does Washington rank?

Washington ranks #12 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.

Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 21-1023. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national mental health and substance abuse social workers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.